In the aforementioned type of longitudinally displaceable motor vehicle seat of a rear, in particular second or third seat row the functional position can used with the essentially horizontal rear support foldable forward as a table support or for extending a cargo space situated behind it, for example. If the motor vehicle seat, however, is in a forward position time of the folding movement, its headrest can collide with a seat situated in front of it and possibly be damaged.
DE 199 66 242 C1 discloses a motor vehicle seat with a seat frame that is longitudinally adjustable vis-à-vis a lower rail that is integral with the motor vehicle. A back rest is foldable hinged to the seat frame and secured by means of back rest blocking device. A seat cushion frame can be pivoted between a sitting position and a stowing position, whereby said pivot movement is coupled with the folding movement of the back rest over a bar having protection against excessive travel, in order to prevent damage due to careless positioning of the seat despite blocking of the back rest.
The drawback in such seats is, however, that the user becomes aware initially only during folding forward, whether the seat in a reliable rear position is or not and consequently, if necessary, must first fold the back rearwards and must then move the seat frame into the rear option, in order to be able to again move the seat forward. Furthermore, generally out of safety considerations, an additional locking of the seat part to the seat frame is required, which must then be released by means of an additional operating device. Also, neither the seat part or the rest nor the rest can be unblocked from the rear; that is, by way of the trunk.
A seat assembly having two rest parts is known from Toyota Yaris, wherein in the separation plane between the rest parts a handle is arranged that can be operated from the front and the rear, by means of which the one of the rests can be unlatched.
DE 100 55 432 A1 discloses a motor vehicle seat, whose back rest and seat part are coupled by means of a connection member, which controls the movement of the back rest relative to the seat part. The seat part is longitudinally adjustable relative to the vehicle floor by means of rails, whereby, in order to do this, a locking member must be unlocked by manual lifting movement of a rail release handle.
The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle seat that can be adjusted with relatively little effort and wherein the damages by careless folding forward of the back rest into a forward position of the seat part is avoided. Accordingly and advantageously, adjustment of the vehicle seat from the rear is possible.
According to the invention a forward grip for releasing the seat longitudinal latching is provided, which can be operated by a user seated in the seat and, further a rear handle that can be operated from the vehicle trunk—a lanyard, for example—for releasing the seat longitudinal latching and the rest locking uniting. Advantageously, a further handle is arranged, for example, on the side of the rest locking unit for unlatching the rest locking unit by the user sitting in the seat. In this fashion, a high level of user comfort and convenience is achieved, since for enlarging the cargo space the user can achieve a complete displacement of the motor vehicle seat from the vehicle trunk zone. According to the invention, at least three functions are achieved by the rear handle, namely: the unlocking of the seat longitudinal latch; a verification, whether the seat is in a rearward position that will allow the folding forward of the back rest, and an unlocking of the rest locking unit. Also the rear positioning of the released seat part can be achieved from a forward to a rearward positioning by means of the handle, so that a complete repositioning of the seat b means of a continuous course of movement of the rear handle, whereby the back rest can automatically fold into the functional position and be locked therein.
The unlocking system for the seat longitudinal latching and rest locking unit can preferably be connected to a device transmitting pulling but not pressure forces such as, for example, a cable, in order to prevent releasing the rest locking unit upon operation of the forward handle.
The folding forward of the back rest into the forward position can be prevented, in that a further pivoting movement of the adjustment lever, after unlocking the seat longitudinal latching, is prevented by a stop. In this case, the adjustment lever can slide or roll with a bolt onto the stop, until it is released for the further pivoting movement for release of the rest locking unit.
In order to prevent a excessive lift of the forward unlocking device by the rear handle when unlocking the rest locking unit, the forward unlocking unit has an overtravel protection device, whose spring force is greater than the required unlocking force.
The invention will be more completely described in the following with reference to the annexed drawings and an embodiment, wherein: